From the New York Herald, 4/12/1865

RICHMOND.
Mr. William H. Merriam’s Despatches.

RICHMOND, April 9,
1865.

VISITORS TO
RICHMOND.

Richmond is still enveloped in excitement, and I cannot
perceive as yet any abatement. It leaves the truth somewhat in the rear to say
that almost everybody eminent has visited and is now viewing the precincts of
this captured city. The provost marshals of the North must grow lean with labor
in supplying passes to the regiments, brigades, divisions, corps and columns of
people who are knocking at these gates for admission. The President of the
United States came and saw, and, it may be added, conquered; Senators and
legislators of less degree followed in rapid succession; and in all the throng
yesterday I noticed the Vice President, accompanied by Senator Sumner, riding
along Clay street in an ambulance; but I shall not stop to notice or name the
long array of eminent men and lovely women who have flocked to this city since
Monday last.

A PARADE OF THE
TWENTY-FOURTH CORPS.

Today Richmond has witnessed a glory which she could now
ill afford to spare the remembrance of. A division of tried and faithful troops
from the Twenty-fourth army corps of the Army of the James, who have been
patiently waiting for the opportunity to walk these streets unmolested, have
marched them with all the accomplishments of military display. Accompanying the
command, I had a fair opportunity of witnessing this triumph of our arms, and a
more impressive and striking military pageant has seldom occurred. The streets
were lined literally with gaping rebels ready to take the oath, and a more
motley set of habitants it would be, indeed difficult to
_____. I can scarcely tell you how penitent these really impenitent Richmondites
appeared as the division passed through the city. They gazed at the glittering
uniforms of the officers and then at their own rags. They turned their eyes to
behold the glistening bayonets that had aided to assert the supremacy of the
constitution with a success wholly destitute of any vanity on our part, and
wondered why they had ever been rebels, without apparently desiring to surrender
their opinions though their bodies were ours. The review was full of purport and
an evidence of the march of events.

MEASURES FOR THE
RESTORATION OF VIRGINIA TO THE UNION.

This morning a deputation, consisting of Henry W. Thomas,
former State Senator from the Fairfax district, and more recently Second State
Auditor; David J. Burr, member of the House of Delegates from this city; General
Joseph B. Anderson, proprietor of the Tredegar Works; and Nathaniel Tyler, past
proprietor of the Richmond Enquirer, leave for Lynchburg for the purpose of
inviting the Virginia Legislature back to Richmond. This movement is conducted
under the immediate auspices of Judge Campbell, R.M.T. Hunter, and others of a
class of Southern men who are just now unable to determine whether they are on
foot or horseback, so far as the Confederacy may be concerned. Several members
of the Virginia Legislature who remained here after the evacuation are working
zealously in behalf of the return of Virginia to the Union, and - the statement
will startle you, as coming from living men - upon the condition of the
abolition of slavery. A mummy of three thousand years standing in Egyptian
catacombs, approaching with a proposition about slavery, in this crisis of
Southern fate, ought to be embalmed by Dr. Hill in order to modernize him and
let him know what is going on. The members who favor this undertaking, it is
proper to state, are among the influential of this body and State.

LOSSES BY THE
FIRE.

The city assessor of Richmond estimates the losses by the
conflagration resulting from Ewell’s order to burn the tobacco at two-thirds of
the aggregate value of the whole city. The area embraces by the fire comprised
the great business portion of the town; while the amount of good stored in the
burned buildings enhances to the extent of fifty per cent the losses sustained
by the destruction of houses. Thirty millions of dollars will hardly cover the
losses in every way and from every view.

THE FIRST NATIONAL
BANK IN RICHMOND.

The First National Bank of Richmond is to go into operation
in the course of ten days.

The Hon. John Van Buren was a guest of General Weitzel in
the late halls of Jeff. yesterday.

THE FRENCH
TOBACCO.

It has been ascertained that only eight hundred hogsheads
of the French tobacco were destroyed by the late conflagration. From this it
will be seen that the duties of the French consul in this city are measurably
tightened.

GENERAL PATRICK is coming to establish his headquarters in
Richmond. The army headquarters will soon be moved here.